1. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of N.J.S.2C:39-9, N.J.S.2C:58-2, N.J.S.2C:58-3 or any other statute to the contrary, a person who is certified as an instructor in the use, handling and maintenance of firearms by the Police Training Commission, the Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife and the State Park Service in the Department of Environmental Protection, the Director of Civilian Marksmanship of the United States Department of the Army or by a recognized rifle or pistol association that certifies instructors may transfer a firearm temporarily in accordance with the terms of this section to a person participating in a training course for the use, handling and maintenance of firearms by the Police Training Commission, the Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife, the Director of Civilian Marksmanship or by a recognized rifle or pistol association that certifies instructors. The person to whom a firearm is transferred by a certified instructor in accordance with the terms of this section may receive, possess, carry and use the firearm temporarily during the sessions of the course for the purpose of training and participating in the course.

b. A transfer of a firearm under this section may be made only if:

(1) the transfer is made upon a firearms range or, if the firearm is unloaded, in an area designated and appropriate for the training;

(2) the transfer is made during the sessions of the firearms course for the sole purpose of participating in the course;

(3) the transfer is made for not more than eight consecutive hours in any 24-hour period; and

(4) the transferred firearm is used and handled only in the actual presence and under the direct supervision of the instructor.

c. The transfer permitted by this section may be made whether or not the person participating in the course holds a firearms license, firearms purchaser identification card or a handgun purchase permit. However, an instructor shall not knowingly transfer a firearm under the terms of this section to a person who does not meet the qualifications set forth in subsection c. of N.J.S.2C:58-3 for obtaining or holding a firearms purchaser identification card or a handgun purchase permit, and a person who knows that he does not meet such qualifications shall not receive the transferred firearm under the terms of this section.

d. No firearm shall be transferred or received under the provisions of this section for purposes described in section 1 of P.L.1983, c.229 (C.2C:39-14).